The need to embrace the life which you know and already have, as well as the love that you may dearly desire, can seem to be contradictory. But instead, they are actual partners of your own making.
And yes, the two seeming-different drives toward achieving present happiness, can lead to positive life experiences that you may never have even dreamed could happen to you.
For that reason, I’m devoting today’s column to a real couple, woman and man, both of whom decided to “lean in” to living the life they’ve long known, as good friends.
Over time, they also developed a mutual love for each other, which has carried them through to remarkable circumstances.
The woman, like many of her time, had married young and had three children. That relationship ended. She taught dance to youngsters, which was the field in which she had long trained and worked. She was a popular teacher.
Her second marriage happily lasted many years, until her beloved husband passed away. Later, a longtime friend also suffered the loss of his wife. The two couples had known each other for years, and their grown children soon became part of a remarkable, large and loving extended family.
I’ve written here the background to this couple’s current and ongoing story, because the woman is considered an icon in some circles, where she still teaches daily.
She’s 90 years old. He’s just as active at 95. They are fit, healthy, well-dressed and attractive.
Among her many community interests and sports, this woman teaches aquafit classes in which she excels, and draws up to 30 committed followers each time.
For years, her classes have been filled with women (and some smart, brave men). In sunny, mild weather, there can be not only regular devotees, five days weekly, but also some of their teenage and adult children, following the teacher’s moves to “crunch those abs,” and “open up those hips,” etc.
All with the recorded tunes of oldies-but-goodies pumping out a beat, and the voices of some diehard participants, who know every word to the songs.
I admit that I’ve personally joined this group when the opportunity presents. Besides enjoying the benefit of a superb teacher’s skills, I’ve long been amazed at her warm, caring personality and remarkable energy.
She and he play golf together and head up fundraisers such as local drives for food banks and other community needs and events. In other words, they are not only living long, but more importantly, they’re certainly living healthy!
So, having had a view of people who clearly determine to live the best life they can, and who also seek and accept love when they find it, I’m passing on this inspiration to whomever wants to “believe in the possible.”
Consider for a moment just what it is that makes this couple and others like them determinedly “life-positive” regarding their outlook on daily life, and the ways which they choose to stay connected to, and involved in, their future.
Consider, too, society’s increased interest in purposeful longevity, given the very large cohort of seniors still living healthy lives.
Currently, among many books on longevity, there’s the #1 New York Times Bestseller, the audio book “Outlive, The Science and Art of Longevity,” which describes itself as a “ground-breaking manifesto on living better and longer.”
This book claims to challenge conventional medical thinking on aging, and to also reveal a new approach to preventing chronic disease and extending long-term health.
I’ve mentioned the book, because I consider it an invitation to my readers to open your own mind, and that of others, as to how you and those you care about, can purposefully choose to experience your own aging years.
Meanwhile, longevity today should be no surprise, given the groundbreaking book, “Boom, Bust and Echo,” which Canadian journalist and author, the late Daniel Stoffman, co-wrote with economist David Foot.
The two helped bring demographics into boardrooms. It was released in 1996, selling almost 300,000 copies; it’s still sometimes known as “The Baby Boomer” book.
No surprise, now that the original “baby boomers” are a part of today’s drive among thoughtful, health-minded seniors, to “live and love!”
My own intentions, plus my best wishes for you, are this: Live your healthy years to the fullest!
